As we all continue to follow quarantine orders across the United States, many weddings, music festivals, and other significant events continue to being canceled. Event industries across the states and the hospitality industry as a whole is suffering much from this pandemic. Many are wondering how long these venue closures will last? When can we start planning large events again? Will the Coronavirus and COVID-19 forever change events as we know it? These are very valid questions that event planners ask as we scramble to get wedding dates changed and large events postponed.
Some major hospitality industries like Las Vegas are still under severe closure, with the Governor taking extreme precautions in light of the virus. Hotels, restaurants, and pools have reopened along the Vegas Strip, but still no clubs, shows, or large venues. EDC postponed. Life Is Beautiful canceled. Major gatherings as we knew them will continue to be canceled until the medical sciences know more about the virus and how those of us in the vent industry will better handle the hygiene of guests attending events. We are prepared to take these extra precautions, but are politicians ready for us to do so? The event, club, and live performance workers across the Strip have been laid off for months and still have no word on their return. Many are nervous about seeing their unemployment benefits running out and are eager to start the re-planning process. What will that process look like in a few months?
Event planners will be following closely with what the restaurant industry is doing. Temperature checks before entering venues, high-grade medical masks (not fabric masks) at least for entry if not the entire time, handwashing stations readily available, etc., will be more than necessary. To say that we don't need to follow such precautions is okay too. Medical science labs across the US have stated that the rates of spreading are lower than initially thought, that asymptomatic people have very low odds of spreading the virus, and that the majority of the population were exposed to the virus. Some reports out of China claim cases were seen even as early as August 2019. The scientific community has often been misquoted as saying you must have a mask and social distance more than six feet. If you look back at their statements, it actually says one or the other. They recommend you wear a mask if you're within less than six feet of someone and are around for over 15 minutes. That's three different criteria one would have to meet to have a likelihood of contracting the virus. Otherwise, if you're more than six feet from someone, plus not around them for more than 15 minutes, you don't even need a mask even in a public place. Hence why now many people are able to dine at restaurants without masks. In fact, most states aren't even requiring masks in public spaces. States are now taking the Sweden approach. Which, many epidemiologists have said we should have followed in the first place. According to Dr. Brilliant - yes, that is his actual name - we should not have shut down anything, and we would have been over this by now. Appealing thought and perspective if you happen across him.
If what medical science and medical experts say is true, then there is no risk in not taking these precautions. It is only for those who are already prone to contracting viruses due to old age and compromised immune systems. However, we must comply with what state officials say is necessary to get back to what used to be our normal. It sounds all over the place. I know. At this moment, we can't fight things in either direction and must follow the rules. We are all wondering when we will get back to normal. Many are questioning if there will be a second wave coming in Fall 2020. Some science suggesting this could happen again in 2021 during the spring and the fall. Many scientists see this continuing for the rest of time until these unkept wet markets in other countries come to an end. They are leaving us to question even more about our future in events. How can we plan for things in 2021 if we could see a virus sweep the nation again? Will I be planning my wedding a third time? Should I get married legally now and celebrate with a reception in later years? Planners, brides, grooms, and entire cities are creating plans to see these issues don't arise ever again, no matter the world's circumstances.
Whether you are starting your planning process or restarting your planning process, you should go about your planning as though it will all be fine and go according to plan. We have to. You have to. We can only wait around for so long to get definitive information about Coronavirus, even if it is never final. We will continue to learn more and see changes to all viruses and diseases throughout our lives. We continue to take precautions for those who do have compromised immune systems and will have to make sure we educate everyone further in the importance of proper hygiene. Simple hand washing can stop the spread of viruses, so make sure you become a religious hand washer. You will intern help yourself and help those around you. For the time being, most event companies will be conducting virtual meetings with clients instead of in-person meetings. In many ways, this is a good move forward because it will call for less travel for clients and planners. The downside is having that lack of personableness and not getting clients to look directly at rentals to touch textiles and visually see the size of their chosen items. These downsides only apply to the few and only for a short time. More places are allowing clients back into rental warehouses, and venues have been opening again for viewership.
If I had to take my best guess as to everything said above about when we should see events come back to the world of hospitality, I would peg in November or December 2020. Looking at countries outside the US and seeing what US companies are using health policies leads me to that time frame. We are all watching to see what other companies see as their opening dates and how long they plan to keep those going. With so surges this summer or none in the fall, we could easily see a comeback right around the corner. Don't be afraid to start planning your annual events, your weddings, or your next festival. Things are looking to be in our favor, and we will be fresh and ready to get our schedules and books loaded up again. Contact your planners to ask when they see your events happening. The dates could very well surprise you. Be prepared for a backup in the calendar system since everyone is trying to replan their events. 2021 will be a hectic year indeed—the biggest boom to the event industry by far.
Best of luck and happy planning!
